IRLF 


275    7^0 


THREE    " 

ORIENTAL 

PLAYS 


Frayne 
Willi 


lams 


The 

The  Blue 
--and  v, 

|TKe  Man   .  ' 
-with  tKe  Bundle 


>- 


GIFT   OF 
he.    V/;///7Lr/is 


IJlEXLIBRlS 
i*Sifc*f : 


To  ALFRED  KREYMBORG 
for  much  encouragement 


COPYRIGHT  1921,  BY  FRAYNE  WILLIAMS 


Dramatic  and  publication  rights  reserved 
by  author.  Application  for  permission  to 
produce  these  plays  must  be  made  to  author, 
care  of  the  publisher,  438  Wall  Street,  Los 
Angeles. 


Three 

Oriental 

Plays 

By 

Frayne 
Williams 


PUBLISHED  BY 

J.  A.  ALLES  CO.,  LOS  ANGELES 
1921 


By  FRAYNE  WILLIAMS 

Two  Plays  for  Pierrettes 

Ptays  for  Iconoclasts 

Cabaret  Nights  and  other  Poems 


The 
Rose 
Garden 

A  Play  of 
Oriental  Philosophy 
and  Phantasy 


475856 


The  acting  throughout  this  play  is  highly 
conventionalized.  Every  action  being  a 
posture  and  a  design,  at  times  accompanied 
by  a  quaint  chord  or  combination  of  chords 
from  the  orchestra. 


THE  ROSE  GARDEN  was  originally  pro 
duced  by  The  Arts  Club  of  Chicago,  Febru 
ary  17,  1921. 

ORIGINAL  CAST 

WISEMAN GEORGE  FRANCIS  WOLFF 

STRANGER ROBERT  LEE  ESKRIDGE 

SERVING  MAID ROSILAND  WARWICK 

KING GERALD  A.  FRANK 

MINISTER F.  BARRY  BYRNE 

PHYSICIAN JAMES  HERBERT  MITCHELL 

CAPTAIN MCCLELLAND  BARCLAY 

PLAYER OWEN  JONES 

HANDMAIDEN NAN  BARCLAY 

SINGER ROSILAN  WARWICK 

STRANGLER SPENCER  K.  HEAFIELD 

ATTENDANT PRESTON  VANCE 

DANCER ARTHUR  COREY 

Stage  Picture — 

MARIE  E.  BLAKE  AND  GERALD  A.  FRANK 
JAMES  CHURCH,  Director  of  Acting 

Costumes  designed  and  executed  by 

SPENCER  K.  HEAFIELD 
Producer,  MRS.  RUSSELL  J.  MATHIAS 
Assisted  by  MRS.  ALBERT  KALES 


Scene  is  laid  in  ancient  city  of  Sochi-Fu, 
in  Chinese  Turkistan;  now  called  Yarkand 
— but  still  shows  traces  of  Chinese  occupa 
tion.  It  was  visited  by  Marco  Polo  between 
the  years  1271-1275. 


The  Prologue 


THE  curtain  rises  revealing  inner  curtain 
of  dull  blue. 

Enter  a  Wiseman  very  richly  dressed  in 
silk  robes  of  many  shades  of  blue,  embroid 
ered  with  dull  gold.  He  carries  a  rich  copper 
lantern  which  is  lighted,  and  an  ebony  staff. 
The  stage  is  almost  in  gloom,  but  from  the 
left  side  is  a  narrow  band  of  orange  light 
just  level  with  the  Wiseman's  head  when  he 
is  in  a  standing  position. 

He  seats  himself  slightly  to  the  left  of 
the  stage  cross  legged,  facing  the  audience, 
placing  his  lantern  on  his  immediate  left. 
When  he  is  seated  he  claps  his  hands  thrice 
and  a  servitor  enters  with  a  steaming  bowl 
of  rice  in  a  blue  bowl  and  a  smaller  bow) 
of  tea.  After  he  leaves,  a  second  man  enters 
whom  we  will  call  the  Stranger.  He  is 
poorly  dressed — bare  legs  and  sandals,  and 
just  a  blouse  of  a  drab  cinnamon  color.  He 
seats  himself  slightly  to  the  right  and  equal 
distance  from  the  Wiseman,  and  he  claps 
his  hands  thrice  but  less  imperitive  in  man 
ner  than  the  former. 

The  servitor  enters  with  a  bowl  of  rice 
and  a  bowl  of  tea.  Both  the  bowls  are 
smaller  than  those  of  the  Wiseman. 

13 


THREE    ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

The  Stranger  carries  no  staff  with  him, 
but  has  a  small  cage  containing  a  canary. 
He  also  carries  a  rusty  iron  lantern  which 
he  places  to  his  immediate  right.  The  cage 
he  places  on  his  left. 

Directly  he  gets  his  food  he  starts  to 
consume  it  with  gusto,  first  feeding  the  bird 
with  a  speck  or  two  of  rice. 

The  Wiseman  is  now  partaking  of  his 
in  a  slow  dignified  manner.  He  takes  a 
book  from  his  girdle  and  reads  by  the  light 
of  his  lantern.  The  stranger  observes  all 
this  closely,  stopping  to  eat  the  while. 
Finally  the  Stranger  is  bold  enough  to  ask 
a  question. 

Stranger  Are  not  the  stars  suspended  on 
silken  threads? 

Wiseman  No.  They  are  suspended  upon 
less.  If  they  were  suspended 
on  silken  threads,  the  threads 
would  break  and  send  us  all 
crashing  to  eternity. 

Stranger      What  is  eternity? 

Wiseman  That  place  to  which  we  never 
go.  It  is  a  place  where  there 
is  neither  darkness  or  light. 

Stranger     Why? 

Wiseman     Because  if  there  were  darkness 

14 


THE     PROLOGUE 

or  light,  we  should  be  there,  not 
here.  Then  eternity  would  be 
here,  because  here  would  be  the 
place  where  we  are  not,  and 
eternity  must  ever  be  the  place 
where  we  are  not. 

Stranger      Is  this  then  the  Truth? 

Wiseman  Do  you  find  the  Truth  hard  to 
seek? 

Stranger      I  do. 

Wiseman  Truth  is  only  separated  from  us 
by  a  rice  paper  screen  and  some 
times  the  paper  gets  torn. 

Stranger      And  then? 

Wiseman      Men  go  mad. 

Stranger  Do  only  madmen  know  the 
truth  then? 

Wiseman  They  only  know  that  the  others 
do  not  know. 

Stranger      (Perplexed).    Know  what? 

Wiseman  There  comes  in  the  point  de 
sired.  Know  that  bitter  is  not 
sweet — that  suffering  is  not  joy 
— nor  joy  pain.  Sorrow  not 
good,  nor  good  evil — but  that 

15 


THREE    ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

they  are  all  the  same  thing — all 
the  one  thing—but  all  different 
to  different  people.  Are  you 
married? 

Stranger  No,  but  I  have  a  sweetheart. 
Wiseman  Thus,  then,  it  were  perhaps 
wiser  and  the  essence  of  good 
ness  were  I  to  kill  you  where 
you  sit  before  you  perpetuate 
more  fools  of  your  kind.  Your 
sweetheart  would  think  it  an 
evil  deed,  but  if  I  delayed  my 
action  until  you  had  been  mar 
ried  a  few  years,  your  wife 
might  count  it  a  blessing.  Yet 
my  action  would  be  the  same. 

(During  this  speech  he  draws  a 

dagger  from  his  girdle.  Stranger 

flinches  and  is  relieved  to  see 

him  put  it  back). 

What  do  you  think  of  the  rice? 
Stranger      Fine. 
Wiseman      You  see  I  have  scarcely  touched 

mine.     /    think    it    poisonous. 

Fine  to  you  but  poisonous  to  me. 

Yet  the  rice  is  the  same.    Apply 

16 


THE    PROLOGUE 

this  to  Beauty,  and  you  get  the 
same  result  Beauty  is  only 
what  it  awakens  in  us. 

Stranger      (Further  perplexed).     Is  noth 
ing  one  thing? 

Wiseman  Yes,— although  I'm  not  sure.  I 
find  Love  is  never  Hate.  It  some 
times  tries  to  be  but  never  is. 
Hate  is  never  Love.  Neither  will 
surrender,  for  so  true  are  they 
to  themselves  and  others  that 
one  would  kill  the  other  first. 
Thus  Love  kills  Hate,  and  Hate 
kills  Love. 
(The  Wiseman  indicates  that  he  wishes 

the  rice  bowls  removed.    Attendant  does  so. 

Wiseman  picks  up  his  lantern  and  starts  to 

go). 

Stranger  (Doing  likewise  and  overtaking 
him  on  right  of  stage)..  Alas. 
What  then  is  life? 

Wiseman  (Pausing).  Life.  Life  is  less 
than  nothing.  Life  is  Death. 
Death  is  Life.  Death  is  some 
times  welcome.  Life  never  is. 
All  the  lives  in  the  world  and 

17 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

since  the  world  began  amount  to 
not  more  than  a  grain  of  sand. 
The  great  are  little.  The  little 
are  great.  But  move  aside  for 
they  are  going  to  have  a  play 
here  and  soon. 

Stranger      I  will,  but  what  is  a  play? 

Wiseman  A  play  is  that  which  is  or  that 
which  is  not,  shown  to  those 
who  live  what  is,  to  make  them 
think  that  which  is;  not. 
Come  let  us  hurry !  (Leads  him 
out). 


18 


The  Play 


The  curtain  rises  to  a  shrill  blast  of 
trumpets  at  a  distance.  There  is  revealed 
two  dull  gold  walls — right  and  left — set 
back  about  four  feet  from  the  curtain. 
Each  takes  about  a  third  of  the  width  of 
stage.  The  open  space  or  middle  third  turns 
inward  at  right  angles,  making  a  long  cor 
ridor-like  room  stretching  away  to  back  of 
stage.  At  the  end  of  this  room,  there  are 
three  steps  leading  to  an  elevated  platform. 

A  stretch  of  blue  sea  is  seen  through  the 
open  doors. 

The  walls  of  this  corridor  room  are 
painted  a  deep  rich  purple.  The  steps  to 
the  elevated  platform  at  back  are  a  deep 
lacquer  red.  The  elevated  platform  itself  is 
black,  and  the  floor  space  is  entirely  covered 
with  black  felt. 

The  right  hand  gold  wall  is  bare  except 
that  a  small  black  ebony  sofa  stands  against 
it* 

Against  the  left  hand  golden  wall  is  a 
throne  of  black  ebony  with  three  steps  run 
ning  round  the  visible  sides  of  it.  The  chair 
on  the  throne  has  lilac  cushions. 

These  two  walls  are  high  and  disappear 
above  the  stage  curtains.  The  corridor  room, 

19 


THREE    ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

however,  shows  rafters  of  dull  red,  and  from 
these  rafters  hang  banners  and  standards 
of  many  colors.  Some  are  in  shreds  and 
ribbons,  being  hard  won  battle  relics. 

Perched  on  the  cushions  of  the  throne 
is  an  old  decrepit  Chinese  King,  almost  in 
his  last  death  throes. 

He  is  not  visible  to  the  people  in  the 
corridor  room. 

Behind  his  throne  stands  his  physician 
who  hands  him  some  medicine  in  a  silver 
cup.  He  takes  it  with  trembling  hands,  and 
drinks  it  with  a  gasp.  The  cup  tinkles  on 
the  floor.  Out  in  the  corridor  his  ministers 
are  kneeling  with  heads  bowed  to  the  floor, 
perfectly  still. 

The  only  one  that  is  standing  is  the 
Chief  Minister  of  the  Court. 

His  position  is  far  enough  down  stage 
to  command  a  view  of  both  the  chamber  and 
the  dying  King. 

The  Chief  Minister  approaches  the  King 
obsequiously. 

Minister      Again  thy  pleasure  O  King! 
King  I  die! 

Minister       It  may  be  decreed. 
King  It  is  decreed.     (He  gathers  him 

self  up  to  say  this  with  hollow 
strength  and  then  falls  back.  The 
Physician  makes  a  slight  start 

20 


THE    ROSE     GARDEN 

of  alarm).     I  must  die  happy! 

Minister  May  you,  live  to  see  the  new 
throne  room  built — the  throne 
room  that  is  to  surpass  all 
others.  Then  your  great  soul 
may  pass  away  in  pleasure. 

King  I  shall  not  live.     Know  ye  that 

death  seizes  not  me.     I  am  am- 
bracing  it  Imperially! 

Minister  I  have  anticipated  the  pleasure 
of  your  Greatness.  (Makes  a 
half  step  forward).  Your  Might- 
iness,  I  have  got  the  builders  to 
make  an  exact  model  of  the 
throne  room — showing  it  even 
as  it  will  look  when  completed 
— inset  with  many  gems  and 
colored  to  the  resemblance.  May 
they  bring  it? 

King  (After  looking  almost  vacantly 

for    a    few    minutes,    nods    his 
head) . 

Minister  (Makes  a  slight  sign,  and  one 
of  the  kneeling  figures  rises  and 
tears  out  madly  but  silently.  He 
reappears  with  two  men  carry- 

21 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

rying  a  model  of  Oriental  archi 
tecture.  It  is  a  very  beautiful 
piece  of  work). 

King  (Raises  himself  wearily  to  look, 

assisted  by  his  physician.  He 
fixes  the  model  with  a  piercing 
glance  and  says  with  infinite 
scorn:)  Is  that  all  it  will  be! 
It  is  well  I  die  before  you  build 
such! 

(The  Minister  quickly  ushers  them  away 
with  the  model  and  they  scramble  out  quietly 
but  hurriedly  amongst  the  kneeling  figures). 

King  (To  Ministers)    Is  that  how  you 

embitter  my  last  hours? 

Minister      We  have  flowers  of  all  kinds. 
Shall  we  bring  them? 

King  Bring  me  only  roses — roses. 

(Minister  makes  a  sign  and 
handmaidens  bring  in  a  pale 
green  sheet  of  silk  full  of  roses). 

King  (Makes  a  sign).    Scatter  them! 

(Handmaidens  drop  the  roses 
all  about  he  throne). 

Minister      Shall  these  maids  dance?   They 
are  the  prettiest  girls  in  your 

22 


THE    ROSE     GARDEN 

kingdom. 

(The  King  gives  no  sign,   but 

the  Minister  signifies  that  they 

should  dance). 

(Some  musicians  have  crept  in 

behind  the  flower  girls  and  they 

now  sit  at  the  right  wall  and 

play  as  the  girls  dance.    After  a 

few  movements,  the  King  with 

feeble  rage:) 

King  Stop !    Is  this  how  you  mock  my 

Imperial  end? 

(The  dancers  fall  upon  their 
faces  on  the  floor.  The  musi 
cians  also.  There  is  silence). 

Minister       (After  a  pause).  Shall  one  sing? 

King  Sing?    Yes,  sing,  but  sing  only 

of  roses.  (The  first  dancer  rises 
and  a  small  lute  like  instrument 
is  handed  to  her.  She  sings  sit 
ting)  . 

Singer          Have  you  seen  the  roses 
Kiss  each  other 

And  twine  in  amourous  affection 
The  white  to  the  red 
The  red  to  the  white? 

23 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

Have  you  seen  the  roses 
Kill  each  other 

Stabbing  with  thorn-like  swords 
As    the    breeze    sweeps    them 

through 
And  their  red  petals  drop  like 

blood? 

(The  King  apparently  dozes  and 
the  dancers  and  musicians  with 
draw,  singing  the  refrain  softly) . 
(A  trumpet  sounds). 
(The  King  awakens). 
(An  officer  appears  at  the  head 
and  whispers  to  the  Minister  as 
he  has  joined  him). 

Minister  0,  King!  The  noble  Captain  of 
your  Host  is  outside  wounded  al 
most  to  death.  Great  trophies 
he  brings. 

(The  King  nods.  Enter  the  Cap 
tain  of  the  Host,  supported  by 
two  officers.  He  is  very  weak 
and  pale  from  loss  of  blood, — 
almost  as  incoherent  as  a  drunk 
en  man.  Gripped  tightly  in 
each  hand,  he  has  the  torn  ban 
ner  of  opposers.  His  ar- 

24 


THE    ROSE     GARDEN 

mour  and  clothing  is  hacked  to 
shreds). 

Captain  0  King!  0  King!  (He  sobs 
weakly),  they  are  all  slain— 
the  raiders  of  your  fair  king 
dom,  and  I  die  for  you.  (He 
lurches  forward  and  would  fall 
at  the  King's  throne  but  for  his 
supporters) . 

King  You  foolish  man — die  for  me? 

I  die  for  myself. 

Captain        My  duty — 

King  Your  duty  is  to  live,   not  die. 

Any  fool  can  die.  I  have  lived 
and  now  I  will  my  Imperial  end. 
But  I  must  die  happy! 

Captain        0    King!     (He    falls,    and    the 
wounds  bleed  afresh). 

King  See,  he  bleeds  among  my  roses! 

(The  Captain  is  now  insensible 
and  is  borne  out.  A  bassoon- 
like  trumpet  sounds  in  the  dis 
tance)  . 

King  Who  dares  to  break  the  decreed 

silence  of  my  City? 

25 


THREE    ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

Minister       (To  watchers  on  platform:) 

What  is  this? 

Watch          A  troop  of  players. 
Minister      Let  the  soldiers  throw  them  into 

jail. 
King  Bring  me  their  leader. 

(The   leader   of   the   players   is 

brought  in.   He  falls  flat  before 

the  King  with  forehead  in  the 

dust) . 

King  Name? 

Player          Too  Foo. 
King  You  lie.     Too  Foo  is  dead. 

Player          He  is  dead,  but  he  lives  in  me. 

I  am  his  son. 
King  His  son !    Come  nearer  me.    My 

speech     grows     Weak.     (Player 

draws  nearer).     Can  you  speak 

me  of  your  father's  play, — The 

Rose  Garden? 

Player          Yes,  your  Imperial  Highness. 
King  If  you  please  me  you  shall  name 

your  own  reward. 
Player          That  shall  be  as  your  Greatness 

wills. 

26 


THE    ROSE    GARDEN 

King  (Beckons  his  Minister  and  whis 

pers  to  him.  He  nods.  Starts, 
and  looks  at  player  almost  with 
horror, — but  the  look  subsides. 
He  leaves  rapidly,  but  returns). 

King  Let  us  have  music. 

(The  Musicians  form  up  the  cen 
ter  of  stage,  but  in  the  corridor 
room  out  of  sight  of  the  throne). 
During  the  music  enter  three 
men  dressed  in  black — all  about 
the  same  height  and  thin.  They 
all  wear  short  black  cloaks  so 
that  their  arms  are  not  visible. 
Their  skulls  are  quite  clean 
shaven. 

They  fall  flat  before  the  King's 
throne.  The  King  beckons  the 
leader  of  the  three  and  whispers. 
TO  do  this,  the  King  tremblingly 
stands  supporting  himself  by 
shoulder  of  the  sinister  attend 
ant  who  makes  no  sign,  though 
once  the  whites  of  his  eyes  show 
and  he  nods  almost  impereept- 
ably). 

27 


THREE    ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

(During  this,  the  Minister  takes 
the  Player  to  right  side  of  stage 
by  wall  and  says:) 

Minister  You  need  refreshment,  stranger? 
(Claps  his  hands).  (Two  ser 
vants  enter.  One  with  wine  and 
fruit.  Player  seats  himself  on 
the  low  seat,  and  eats  some  fruit 
and  drinks  wine.  Second  servitor 
comes  forward  with  a  gold  bowl 
of  scented  water  and  a  lilac  silk 
towel.  Player  with  all  dignity 
uses  them.  Attendant  offers  him 
a  pipe  with  bowl  as  big  as  a 
walnut  and  a  stem  about  three 
feet  long. 

This  while  the  other  scene  is 
being  enacted  on  left  of  stage). 

King  Now! 

Player  (Prostrates  himself  before  the 
King). 

(The  three  sinister  black  figures 
cross  the  stage  and  stand  with 
arms  folded  against  the  gold  wall 
at  right). 

King  Come  nearer!     (Beckons  player 

28 


THE    ROSE     GARDEN 

to  steps  of  throne).  I  wish  you 
to  speak  from  this  play  be 
cause  certain  memories  stir  me. 
(Dreamily).  She  was  seated  at 
the  play,  and  wore  a  rose  in  her 
hair.  I  had  her  followed  with 
the  request  that  she  should  be 
brought  to  me.  (A  silence). 

Player          0  Great  One — She  came  on  the 
wings  of  the  dove. 

King  (Nods)   —  and     my  '  Imperial 

father  had  her  executed  (sud 
denly).  Now  speak  the  speech. 
(Music  sounds  through  this. 
The  Player  is  standing  very 
near  the  throne). 

Player          How    oft    she    looked    over   the 

grey  wall 

And  saw  not  your  coming, 
The  wall  of  the  Rose  Garden. 
Her  little  white  hands  hung  down 
Among  the  red  roses 
Playing  idly  with  their  petals 
And  you  came  not.     (Advances 
nearer  the  throne). 

All  day  the  sun  kissed  her  cheeks 
And  you  came  not. 
29 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

Then  when  night  fell 
How  black  the  roses  looked 
Until  the  moon  rose  and  showed 
Crystals    hanging    from    their 

petals 
Crystals    that    were    her    tear 

drops.     (Music  stops). 

(Player  advances  right  to  the  steps  of 
the  throne  and  speaks  very  quietly). 

And  when  the  morning  came 
Low  hung  her  head  over  the  wall 
And  her  lovely  raven  tresses 
Were  entangled  in  the  thorns. 


And  they  buried  her  among  the 

roses 

For  you  came  not.     (He  bows 
very  low). 

King  (With  trembling   hands  rises). 

And  they  buried  her  among  the 
roses.     (Trembling,  he  stands). 
Player!    Player!    Your  reward 
is  great!    (He  makes  a  sign). 
(Two  attendants  unroll  a  sheet  of  pale 
yellow  silk  about  six  feet  wide  which  effec 
tually  closes  up  the  entrance  to  the  corridor 
room. 

The  three   black  figures  advance.    Two 

seize  the  player's  arms  from  behind.     The 
30 


THE    ROSE     GARDEN 

arms  which  emerge  from  their  cloaks  are 
bare.  They  draw  him  back  from  the  throne, 
in  such  a  position  that  his  head  is  thrown 
back  and  his  neck  bared. 

The  third  black  figure  throws  off  his 
cloak,  and  is  revealed  bare  to  the  waist. 

The  music  plays  wildly  behind  the  silk 
screen,  and  the  hidden  attendants  sing  a 
sobbing  rise  and  full  accompaniment,  as  the 
third  black  figure  slowly  strangles  the 
Player  to  death. 

The   King    totteringly   walks   down   the 
steps  with  ecstacy  written  on  his  face,  his 
whole    body    shaking    with   exultation    and 
quivering  arms  outstretched). 
King  Your  reward —     Your  reward! 

(The  strangler  releases  his  grip 
and   the   limp   body   drops  into 
the  arms  of  the  King). 
Your    reward — to    die    with    a 
King.      (Their    bodies    fall    en 
twined  amongst  the  roses). 
Minister    ) 

)  The  King  is  dead! 
Physician  ) 

(The  music  stops,  the  yellow 
silk  veil  is  dropped,  and  with  a 
great  wailing,  all  rush  from  the 

31 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

Palace. 

The  tivo  bodies  lie  amongst  the 

roses  in  the  foreground). 

The  King   in   his  death   throes 

clutches   to   his  breast  a   large 

red  rose). 


CURTAIN 


32 


The 
Blue 
Vase 

A  Chinese 
Play 

In  Free  Verse 


CHARACTERS: 
A  KING 

A  HANDMAIDEN 
A  BLUE  VASE 

SCENE  IS  LAID  IN  ANCIENT  CHINA 


The  Blue  Vase 

THE  curtain  rises  revealing  a  lofty  room 
about  the   depth  of  eight  feet  only — 
representing  more  a  corridor  than  a  room. 
Its    construction    is    very    solid — being    of 
black  ebony. 

It  is  lighted  by  an  oblong  window  in  the 
center  wall.  There  is  also  a  small  circular 
aperture  in  the  ceiling  which  admits  a  dif 
fused  circle  of  yellow  light  as  it  is  entirely 
covered  with  a  lemon  colored  glass  as  a  pro 
tection  against  the  weather. 

The  oblong  window  center  has  no  glass 
or  bars,  but  flung  back  against  the  walls 
are  two  plain  ebony  doors  which  when  closed 
would  successfully  seal  this  sanctuary — for 
sanctuary  it  is.  A  sanctuary  containing  a 
huge  Blue  Vase  which  stands  exactly  in  the 
center  of  the  oblong  window  and  immed 
iately  under  the  circle  of  diffused  yellow 
light. 

The  Vase  is  of  handsome  proportions — 
standing  about  five  feet  high,  further  emi 
nence  being  given  it  by  elevation  on  a  small 
platform  or  rostrum  which  has  the  dignity 
of  a  throne. 

The    platform    is    constructed    of   black 
35 


THREE    ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

ebony  and  has  two  steps  leading  to  it.  The 
steps  are  very  solid  and  broad  but  only 
about  fifteen  inches  high. 

The  Blue  Vase  is  absolutely  plain — hav 
ing  no  ornamentation  whatever — no  arms, 
pattern  or  design.  It  owes  its  absolute  love 
liness  to  symetrical  proportion,  and  to  its 
beautiful  blue  color — full  toned  and  rich. 

It  is  evident  that  this  sanctuary  is  con 
structed  on  the  edge  of  a  mountainous 
precipice.  The  oblong  window  without 
doubt  looks  out  upon  a  sheer  drop  of  some 
thousands  of  feet.  The  next  mountain  is 
seen  almost  like  a  perfect  miniature  paint 
ing  enclosed  by  the  window  framing,  bi 
sected  of  course  by  the  Blue  Vase  in  the 
foreground.  The  floor  of  this  room  is  black 
—carpeted  by  a  kind  of  black  felt  so  that 
no  falling  footstep  can  be  heard.  On  the 
right  hand  side  of  the  Blue  Vase  is  a  tiny 
frail  couch,  lacquered  a  pale  yellow,  fitted 
with  a  little  silk  mattress  and  roll  pillow  of 
mole  colored  silk — whilst  on  the  left  is  a 
twisted  stand  of  most  irregular  shape,  which 
holds  suspended  at  its  pinnacle,  a  tiny  glow 
lamp,  boat  shape.  The  stand  is  four  feet 
high  and  has  a  solid  metal  foot.  It  is  the 
color  of  red  bamboo.  The  two  doors  leading 
to  the  room  are  right  and  left.  They  are 
very  narrow,  being  scarcely  two  feet  wide 

36 


THE     BLUE     VASE 

and  nearly  as  high  as  the  walls  of  the  room 
itself.  The  solid  doors  hinge  from  the  cor 
ridors  outside.  The  thickness  of  the  walls 
can  thus  be  seen. 

On  the  room  side  a  long  silk  flame — 
orange  colored  curtain  hangs  on  the  left 
side  of  each  doorway — the  folds  draping  to 
the  floor.  Just  above  the  couch  hangs  a 
huge  bronze  gong  about  three  feet  in  dia 
meter,  and  underneath  is  suspended  a  huge 
ebony  hammer. 

Fully  half  a  minute  before  the  curtain 
three  strokes  sound  on  the  gong — then  the 
curtain  rises  very  rapidly. 

The  couch  is  occupied  by  a  diminutive 
Chinese  girl.  She  is  intensely  pale  and  sits 
immovable  with  legs  crossed,  facing  front. 
She  is  dressed  in  pale  yellow  watered  silk. 
Her  hair  is  plainly  dressed  after  the  Chinese 
fashion.  After  the  curtain  is  up  there  is  a 
dead  silence  for  fully  a  minute.  Then  with 
out  moving  she  speaks — at  first  a  little  halt 
ingly  : 

SHE       How  do  I  love  him? 
I  cannot  tell. 
When  I  was  a  child 
I  marvelled  at  the  mountains 
And  stood  in  fear  of  their  greatness. 
I  saw  the  sea  one  day, 

37 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

And  could  not  sleep 

For  nights, 

Because  of  its  immensity! 

But  when  I  look  at  this  love  of  mine 

It  is  so  wonderful, 

And  so  huge, 

That  a  mountain  seems  like  a  pebble 

Thrown  idly  away  by  a  playing  child, 

And  the  sea,  a  tiny  dew  drop 
Hanging  on  a  grass  blade 
Or  a  branch,  waiting  for  a  bird 
To  drink  it. 
Beside  my  love 

All  things  that  were  great  before 
Are  now  so  small 
I  should  not  miss  them 
Were  they  away! 
Except — except  two  things 
The  sun,  and  the  song  of  a  bird. 
The  sun,  because  I  could  fling 
My  naked  soul  on  its  hot  bosom 
And  burn  out  my  desire. 
The  bird  song  because  it 
Tells  the  song  of  my  love. 
The  door  at  left  opens  and  the  King  en 
ters.     He  is  dressed  in  a  long  close  fitting 

38 


THE    BLUE     VASE 

gaberdine  or  tunic.  It  is  of  grey  green  with 
self  color  designing.  A  black  silk  cap  is  on 
his  head  and  his  feet  are  encased  in  dull 
silver  slippers.  He  has  a  girdle  with  a 
sword.  He  is  very  tall  and  aged  about 
forty-five  years.  The  buttons  on  his  tunic 
are  alternate  silver  and  turquoise,  and  on 
the  third  finger  of  his.  left  hand  he  wears  a 
blue  ring.  His  fingernails  are  long  and 
gilded.  As  the  door  closes  behind  him,  he 
stands  gazing  enraptured  at  the  Blue  Vase. 
He  sits  on  the  platform  or  throne  and  ad 
dresses  it  caressingly: 

KING     Thou  hast  soothed  me 
Unruffled  my  cares. 
A  friend  or  consort 
Could  do  no  more — 
Could  not  do  so  much! 
Why  do  I  worship  thee? 
Is  it  for  thy  beauty, 
Color,  shape  and  wondrous  curves? 
And  if  so,  are  not  these 
Reasons  enough? 
Thus  men  love  their  steeds 
And  love  the  curving 
Limbs  and  bosoms 
Of  their  mistresses. 

39 


THREE    ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

Thou  art  more  then  all  these, 

For  in  loving  them 

I  might  still  baser  be, 

But  in  loving  thee 

The  more  exalted  do  I  become 

And  less  desire  have  of  the  world. 

(He  pauses  in  contemplation  a^few 

moments) . 

When  first  I  placed  thee  in  this  shrine 

I  ,was  mad  with  possession 

But  now  life  holds 

A  calmer  joy  for  me, 

Here  have  I  installed  thee 

Safely  away  from  vulgar 

And  misunderstanding  eyes. 

Here  have  I  built  thee 

A  worthy  shrine 

And  here  do  I  in  contemplation 

Find  that  which  the  world  has  lost. 

(A  pause  during  which  he  sits  with 

drooped  head,  then  without  looking 

up,  he  says:) 

HE          Sing  to  me  little  one : 

SHE       (Takes  a  little  square  lute  from  be 
hind  her  couch  and  sings:) 

40 


THE     BLUE     VASE 

When  the  rough  winds 
Sweep  among  the  willows, 
As  they  lean  tenderly  o'er  the  stream, 
Then  their  strong  boughs 
Clasp  the  waters  with  their  arms 
Like  a  passion  swept  lover, 
And  their  leaves  suck  up 
Dewy  kisses,  like  the  loved  one 
From  the  moist  mouth  of  his  mistress. 
HE          (Frowns  and  claps  his  hands  for 
her  to  stop,  and  rises,  giving  her  a 
long    piercing    glance.     He    slowly 
passes  from  the  room,  but  turns  at 
the  doorway  and  says:) 
Do  you  still  love  your  task,  little 
one? 

SHE       I  still  love — (She  drops  her  eyes) 
my  task. 

(He  is  about  to  leave  once  more,  but 
returns  to  the  vase  and,  mounting  the  steps 
of  the  throne,  touches  the  slender  neck  of 
it  with  his  lips.  He  turns  yet  again  at  the 
doorway,  and  sternly). 
HE  Sing  me  no  more  songs.  (Exit). 

(Immediately  he  has  passed  from  sight, 
she  strikes  a  discord  on  her  lute  and  rushes 
across  to  the  Blue  Vase). 
SHE       Thou  thing  of  Hate! 

41 


THREE    ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

Why  do'st  thou  rob  me  of  his  love? 
(Flings  herself  down  sobbing). 
(After  a  while,  she  collects  herself  and 
speaks  again). 

Mine  is  the  greater  beauty 
He  shall  see.     (Runs  to  couch). 
I'll  wear  this  red  rose  in  my  hair, 
These  coral  beads  around  my  neck, 
These  ear-rings,  and  this  perfume. 
(She  adjusts   them  and  looks  into   her 
mirror,  and  quickly  adds  a  little   color  to 
her  cheeks,  powder,  etc.,  as  the  light  fades 
out  to  note  the  lapse  of  time). 

(When  it  gets  lighter  it  will  be  noticed 
that  the  sun  is  on  the  wane.  The  light 
through  the  window  at  the  back  is  now  a 
bright  orange.  She  is  in  her  original  posi 
tion  on  couch). 
SHE  Near  sun  down 

And  he  does  not  come. 

If  he  comes  not,  then  the  night 

Will  seem  a  thousand  years. 

But  if  I  could  spend  the  night 

In  his  arms,  the  time  would  seem 

But  a  candle  flicker  . 

(He  enters). 

42 


THE    BLUE     VASE 

HE          What  is  this  strange  unrest? 

(Sees  her). 

Well  do  you  keep  your  watch 

These  two  years. 

Now  you  should  be  seventeen. 

Never  have  you  let  the  lamp  go  out. 

Never  in  the  day  have  you  slept. 

You  do  your  duty  well. 

No  one  but  we  two  have  entered 

This  sanctuary. 

Should  you  fail  me 

Death  hideously  devised 

Shall  be  your  punishment — 

This  you  know,  little  one, 

Do  you  not? 

SHE       (Coming  forward).     Yes,  my  Lord. 
HE          What!     What!     Do  you  disobey 

My  hest  and  wish! 

What  means  this  rose? 

What    means    these    vulgar    orna 
ments  ? 

Take  them  away! 

(She  removes  the  ornaments  in  an  al 
most  listless  way.  Finally  she  removes  the 
rose,  and  as  she  does  so,  her  hair  falls  about 
her  and  the  rose  drops  in  petals  on  the 

43 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

ground.    At  the  same  moment,  she  takes  the 
other  half  step  which  brings  her  absoultely 
level  with  him  eye  to  eye). 
SHE       I  am  sorry  to  offend,  my  Lord. 
HE          What  strange  perfume  is  this? 
SHE       It  is  the  perfume  of  my  hair, 

Or  my  skin. 

(He  does  not  move,  and  she  timidly  slides 
her  hands  in  his). 

HE          I  am  tired.    I  am  dizzy. 

What  force  impels? 

(She  backs  away  slowly  to  couch — ever 
so  slowly,  still  holding  his  hands,  and  with 
her  eyes  fixed  on  his.  He  follows  almost  in 
a  dream.  She  seats  herself  one  end,  and 
he  slowly  seats  himself  on  the  other.  The 
light  through  the  window  has  turned  to  the 
rose  red  of  sun-set). 

HE          (Repeating).    The  perfume  of  your 
skin ! 

(She  bares  her  chest  and  throat  by  un 
doing  the  three  top  buttons  of  her  tunic,  and 
he  passionately  kisses  her  chest  and  throat. 
She  clutches  her  arms  tightly  around  his 
neck  and  holds  him  there,  whilst  she  sings 
again,  croningly:) 

When  the  rough  winds 

Sweep  among  the  willows, 

44 


THE     BLUE     VASE 

As  they  lean  tenderly  o'er  the  stream, 

Then  their  strong  boughs 

Clasp  the  waters  with  their  arms 

Like  a  passion  swept  lover, 

And  their  leaves  suck  up 

Dewy  kisses,  like  the  loved  one 

(She  loosens  her  arms) 
From  the  moist  mouth  of  his  mistress. 

(He  kisses  her  on  the  lips). 
SHE       Oh,  my  loved  one!     (She  now  sinks 

in  his  arms). 

HE          Is  this  the  end  of  my  unquiet? 
Is  this  the  end  of  all  paths? 
Is  this  the  path  I  would  not  tread 
Because  I  feared? 
And  hugged  to  myself  a  higher  joy? 
(Pause). 

Is  there  anything  greater  than  this  ? 
SHE       (Murmurs).     No!    No! 
HE          There  must  be  another  way, 
Something  greater — nobler — 
Full  of  pure  joy. 
SHE       Kiss  me. 
HE          If  this  were  all, 

Mankind  would  have  paused  here 
And  strayed  no  further. 

45 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

Do  you  beautiful  women 
Lead  us  up,  up  among  the  stars, 
Or  do  you  prevent  our  attainment? 
Tell  me? 

You  are  of  this  matter 
And  must  be  one  with  its  secret. 
SHE       I  know  only  that  I  love, 
This  my  couch  by  night, 
My  throne  by  day 
Witnesseth  it. 
By  day,  my  thoughts 
Play  wanton  with  the  sun-beams 
And  find  only  you. 
By  night  my  thoughts 
Wander  among  the  stars 
And  I  find  but  you. 
I  wondered  why  it  was  so 
But  now  I  know. 
You  were  mine  already. 

HE          The  paths  I  have  trod 

Have  brought  my  spirit  rest 

Calmness  to  my  soul. 

But  with  you  little  one 

Whither,  whither? 
SHE       I  will  calm  your  every  fear, 

46 


THE     BLUE     VASE 

Bear  all  your  sorrows, 
Share  the  every  ill 
That  Fate  may  bring — 

HE          Stop,  I  have  heard  that  before. 

(Dreamily)     'Twas  at  the  foot  of 
a  purple  mountain 
On  the  strand  of  a  lake. 
Silver  streaks  stirred  the  waters. 
It  was  thousands  of  years  ago. 
But  could  not  believe, 
And  so  thus  was  I  born. 
Born  not  trusting  friends, 
Born  not  trusting  women. 
(His  hands  now  play  amongst  her  long 

raven  hair). 

Why  should  we  try  to  believe 
That  this  is  something  worth 
When  we  know  that  it  is  nothing 
ness! 

SHE       What  matters  what  it  is 
So  that  we  are  together? 

HE          What  matters! 

To  find  this  smiling  face  a  lie, 

This  lovely  heart  cankered   at  its 

core, 

This  honest  friend, 

47 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

Not  even  an  honest  enemy! 
(Pauses  in  meditation). 
Why  should  I  take  up  these  threads 
When  Contemplation  hath  given  me 
Such  bliss,  and  exalted  me 
Above  these  things? 

SHE       Yet  you  said  you  suffered  unrest? 

HE          But  was  that  unrest  from  within? 
My  soul  has  flown  to  such  heights 
Of  Contemplation  that  I  know 
It  came  from  without. 
You  bring  me  to  another  world. 

SHE       Yes,  the  World  of  Love. 

HE          Yes,  the  World  of  Love 
I  have  heard  it  called 
Where  men  haggle 
For  pieces  of  metal, 
And  sell  their  souls'  security. 
Where  women  -sell  their  love 
Themselves,  and  their  lovers. 
Where  they  leave  their  trusted  one 
And  rove  more  butterfly  like 
Than  the  butterfly 
After  new  fancies.     .     .     . 
After  I  have  scorned 

48 


THE    BLL  E     VASE 

And  abjured  all  this 
You  would  bring  me  back! 
And  yet — and  yet — 
Is  love  worth  its  agonies? 
What  is  this 

Faint  stirring  of  music  within  me? 
SHE       It  is  the  eternal  Song  of  Love. 
HE         Or  the  sweeping  chords  of  passion. 
SHE       Passion  and  Love 

All,  all  that  matters! 
There  is  nothing  more — nothing! 
(During   this   speech,   the   oil   lamp   on 
stand  flickers). 
HE          Nothing.      (Slowly   kisses  her  lips 

two  or  three  times). 
SHE       Nothing.     (The  lamp  goes  out). 
HE          (Rising  with  alarm). 

The  lamp  is  out! 
SHE       (Trying  to  drag  him  down). 

We  can  kindle  it  again. 
HE         No!     No!    Now  I  see!    I  see! 
We  have  played  the  wanton, 
Never  has  that  flame  perished, 
And  while  that  burnt 
The  flame  within  me  leapt. 

49 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

(He  moves  from  the  couch.  She  clings 
tightly,  and  he  drags  her  with  him.  He 
unloosens  her  hands  and  throws  her  back 
ward  on  the  floor.  She  cries  aloud,  and  at 
the  same  time  he  speaks:) 
HE  You — You — neglected  your  task 

And  dragged  me  from  my  height. 

Out,  Out,  from  this ! 

Never  more  will  I  trust  you. 
SHE       (Clutches   his  feet   bedewing   them 

with  her  tears). 

Lord — Master — Beloved ! 
HE          (Turns  abruptly). 

Let  me  contemplate. 

Light  the  lamp    .    .    . 

If  when  I  leave  my  reverie 

You  are  here,  death  comes  to  you 

tonight. 

(Trembling  all  over,  and  with  stifled 
sobs  she  takes  an  oil  bottle  and  relights 
lamp.  Still  sobbing  she  picks  up  her  little 
square  lute  which  she  trails  brokenly  after 
her.  At  the  door  she  turns  appealingly,  but 
utterly  broken.  He  pays  no  attention  to 
her,  for  he  is  sitting  on  the  floor  by  the  Vase 
— his  hands  covering  his  face — like  one  in 
prayer.  Her  eyes  travel  listlessly  round  the 
room  like  one  in  stunned  sorrow  endeavoring 

50 


THE    BLUE     VASE 

to  take  a  last  look  at  a  familiar  scene.  They 
light  upon  the  gong  with  the  huge  ebony 
hammer.  She  stiffens  and  a  look  of  deter 
mination  comes  into  her  eyes.  Alm.ost  in 
one  sweeping  movement,  she  crosses  the 
room,  and  takes  the  hammer,  and  with  her 
face  convulsed  with  hatred,  raises  it  ivith 
both  hands,  and  shatters  the  Blue  Vase.  He 
only  raises  his  eyes  in  time  to  see  the  con 
summation  of  the  deed.  He  emits  a  great  cry. 

She   tremblingly  drops   to   the  floor  on 
her  knees. 

The  hammer  falls  from  her  hands. 

He  advances  and  stands  over  her  with 
both  fists  clenched,  but  they  fall  powerless 
by  his  side,  for  she  does  not  move). 
HE          (Hollowly  and  brokenly). 
Now  strike  the  gong: 
Let  them  come  from  all  parts  of 
the  palace 
And  rend  you  limb  from  limb ! 

(She  does  not  move.  He  flashes  out  his 
sword  and  she  slowly  bares  her  neck  to  re 
ceive  the  stroke.  He  raises  the  sword,  but 
again  his  arms  fall  powerless). 
HE  (With  a  great  cry:)  My  world  has 
gone! 

(He   plunges    the   sword   into   his   own 
breast,  and  falls  among  the  debris  of  the 

51 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

Blue  Vase,  His  face  is  encircled  by  the  dif 
fused  light  from  above.  She  screams  wild- 
eyed  with  her  fingers  entwined  in  her  dark 
hair. 

After  a  while,  she  rises  and  crosses 
rapidly  to  the  gong  and  strikes  it  three 
times). 

She   then  picks  up   the   lute   and   seats 
herself  on  the  raised  platform  lately  occu 
pied  by  the  vase). 
SHE       (Sings:) 

When  the  rough  winds 

Sweep  among  the  willows 

As  they  lean  tenderly  o'er  the  stream, 

Then  their  strong  boughs 

Clasp  the  water  with  their  arms 

(She    sings    the    last    lines    much 
louder) . 

Like  a  passion  swept  lover, 

And  their  leaves  suck  up 

Dewy  kisses  like  the  loved  one 

From  the  moist  mouth  of  his  mistress. 

(During  the  last  lines,  a  murmur  of 
voices  is  heard  and  a  clatter  of  armed  men 
as  they  rush  to  attend  the  summons  of  the 
gong.  When  they  are  on  the  very  threshold 
of  the  room,  she  drops  the  lute  and  sits  with 
arms  outstretched). 

CURTAIN. 
52 


The  Man 
with  the 
Bundle 

A  Persian  Play 
of  Paradox 


CHARACTERS: 

RIGHT  PROLOGUE 
LEFT  PROLOGUE 

THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BUNDLE 
THREE  ROBBERS 
A  TARTAR 


NOTE  ON  THE  COSTUMES 
AND  PROPERTIES 

THE  two  Prologues  are  dressed  exactly 
alike  in  long  Persian  gabardines  of  a 
pervailing  snuff  color. 

The  Right  Prologue  wears  a  small  turban 
of  dull  red  and  scarlet  slippers. 

The  Left  Prologue  wears  a  small  turban 
of  dull  blue  and  bright  blue  slippers. 

The  two  Eunichs  wear  large  turbans  of 
bright  orange  and  dull  gold  loin  cloths,  for 
the  rest  they  are  nude  with  well  oiled  skins. 

The  Man  with  the  Bundle  is  dressed  in 
bright  red  rags,  which  he  can  shed  entirely. 

The  Three  Robbers  are  dressed  in  bright 
green  rags,  small  black  turbans,  and  they 
wear  large  black  rimmed  spectacles. 

The  Tartar  is  dressed  in  orange  yellow 
with  a  close  fitting  red  cap  and  brown  shoes. 

The  books  are  bound  in  purple. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  SCENE 

Walls  of  cellar  are  tope;  floor  black. 

The  narrow  staircase,  which  runs  up  to 
center  door,  is  blue. 

The  doors  are  red  with  rust,  and  fitted 
heavy  iron  bolts. 

55 


Prologue 

(BEFORE  CURTAIN) 

Enter  Prologue  R.       Enter  Prologue  L. 

RIGHT         (To  audience:)     0  Notables! 

LEFT  (To  auidence:)     0  Fools! 

(They  both  stop). 

RIGHT  Who  engaged  you  to  speak  this 
this  prologue? 

LEFT          The  Author! 

RIGHT         A  fine  author! 

LEFT          I  agree  with  you. 

RIGHT        Well  since  we  agree  I'll  speak 
the  prologue — 
0  Notables !  (Reads  from  script). 

LEFT          O  Fools!    (He  has  no  script). 

RITGH  (To  left:)  This  is  impossible. 
Two  of  us  cannot  speak  a  pro 
logue. 

LEFT  The  author  made  two  speak  a 
prologue  before. 

RIGHT  Then  it  is  obvious  he  cannot  re 
peat  himself. 

LEFT          Still  less  can  he  repeat  others. 

RIGHT         I  wish  he  would,  then  the  public 

56 


THE     PROLOGUE 


LEFT 


RIGHT 
LEFT 


RIGHT 
LEFT 


RIGHT 


LEFT 


RIGHT 
LEFT 


might  think  him  clever,  for  they 
like  authors  to  repeat  them 
selves. 

Yes,  but  it  takes  a  clever  author 
to    repeat   himself   and    always 
seem  the  same. 
You  are  so  obvious. 
Obviously     so!      Why     do     you 
have  a  manuscript  to  read  your 
prologue  from? 

Why  have  you  no  manuscript? 
Because  my  speech  begins,  "0 
Fools!"  and  yours  beings,  "0 
Notables!"  You  need  a  lot  of 
rice  paper  to  prove  people  are 
notables,  and  nothing  to  prove 
they  are  fools! 

Let  us  leave  it  to  the  audience. 
(To  audience:)     Shall  I  speak 
the  prologue,   O   Notables? 
Or  shall  I  speak  it,  0  Fools? 
(Two    sets    of    voices    clamour 
from  the  audience). 
What  is  that? 
That  is  the  Notables  clamouring 

57 


THREE    ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

to  be  called  "Fools,"  and  the 
Fools  clamouring  to  be  called 
"Notables." 

RIGHT  You  are  wrong  again.  It  is  the 
Fools  calling  themselves  Nota 
bles  because  they  are  in  the 
cheaper  seats,  and  the  Notables 
calling  themselves  Fools  be 
cause  they  paid  more  when  they 
might  have  seen  the  play  for 
less  money  and  bought  rice  with 
the  residue. 

LEFT          Or  opium. 

RIGHT  The  same  thing!  they  both 
bring  us  one  step  nearer  the 
grave. 

LEFT  Only  rice  does  the  more  harm; 
it  makes  the  way  to  the  grave 
longer. 

RIGHT  That's  not  your  own  tohught, 
you  stole  it  from  the  author.  It 
sounds  like  his  style.  I  believe 
it's  in  my  manuscript.  (Looks). 

LEFT  You  needn't  look.  The  author 
has  no  thoughts  of  his  own  to 

58 


THE    PROLOGUE 

steal. 
RIGHT        You  insult  the  author!     (With 

rage). 

LEFT          You  are  worse ;  you  insulted  the 
audience;    that's    much    worse. 
You  insulted  them  for  spending 
money  to  see  the  play! 
RIGHT         It's  always   safe  to  insult  au 
thors.     Besides,   they  are  used 
to  it  and  audiences  are  not. 
(They   are   turned    to   one   another   en 
raged.    Loud  strokes  on  the  gong.    A  hand 
ful  of  rice  is  thrown  from  right.     Another 
from  left.     Two  more  in  rapid  succession). 
RIGHT        That's  the  stage  manager  throw 
ing  rice  at  us. 
LEFT          He  may  need  it  by  the  end  of 

the  week. 
VOICE        Come!     Come!     Come! 

(Loud  noise  on  the  gong). 
RIGHT        Let  them  have  their  stage.  How 
will  the  audience  know  what  the 
play  is  about  with  no  prologue 
spoken  ? 

LEFT          It    doesn't   matter;    our   author 
doesn't  know  what  it's  about  in 

59 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

any  case! 
RIGHT         Very  well,   then!      (Threating- 

ly).    Very  well;  I'll  go  straight 

to  the  author  and  get  him  to 

write  an  epilogue. 

(They  shake  fists  in  each  other's  faces. 
Loud  cries.  Noise  on  gong.  Two  stalwart 
Eunichs,  nude  and  shining,  wearing  bright 
orange  turbans,  stride  in  from  right  to  left. 
They  sieze  the  Prologues  round  the  waist 
and  stride  off  with  them  kicking  helplessly). 


60 


The  Play 


SCENE :  An  underground  Eating  House 
in  Persia;  originally  the  basement  or  vault 
to  an  old  palace,  but  now  used  as  an  eating 
place  for  thieves  and  questionable  characters. 

The  Tartar  is  asleep  in  the  left-hand 
corner  of  room. 

The  three  Robbers  are  down  front  of 
stage  seated  on  mats  eating  and  smoking. 

FIRST  Is  it  certain  that  he  will  come 
tonight? 

SECOND     It  is  a  certainty. 

THIRD  Nothing  is  certain;  not  even 
certainties. 

FIRST         He  was  here  three  months  ago. 

SECOND     Also  three  months  before  that. 

THIRD  And,  now  he  may  have  been 
dead  three  months. 

FIRST  And  in  three  months  we  may  all 
be  dead. 

SECOND     Or  in  three  minutes. 

THIRD  Why  not ;  for  see  how  much  hap 
pier  we  should  then  all  be. 

FIRST  That  being  so,  let  us  all  kill  our 
selves. 

61 


THREE    ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

SECOND     Or  kill  each  other? 

THIRD  Why  not  kill  him? 

FIRST  That    brings    us   to    where   we 

were  in  the  beginning. 

SECOND  There  is  no  beginning. 

THIRD  Every  beginning  may  be  an  end. 

FIRST  Like  the  end  of  a  rope. 

SECOND  But  a  rope  has  two  ends! 

THIRD  Or  two  beginnings? 

FIRST  But  only  one  middle. 

SECOND  Which  can  be  made  an  end  to. 

THIRD  Made  two  ends  to. 

FIRST  And  thus,  two  beginnings. 

SECOND  Let  us  make  an  end  of  him. 

THIRD  To  him. 

FIRST  That  cuts  our  circle,     (Relights 

pipe). 

(A  pause  while  they  smoke). 

SECOND  Why  did  we  not  kill  him  before? 

THIRD  Because  he  still  lives. 

FIRST  And  because  he  would  not  let  us. 

SECOND  And  we  were  afraid. 

THIRD  Afraid  of  him? 

FIRST  Afraid  of  ourselves! 

SECOND  Afraid  for  ourselves. 

62 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BUNDLE 

THIRD        Therefore  he  lives  and  we  perish. 
FIRST         No  one  perishes  if  there  is  aught 

to  do. 
SECOND     If  there  is  aught  to  do,  we  still 

live. 

THIRD        But  yet  we  die. 
FIRST         We  die  to  reach  the  end  of  our 

troubles. 

SECOND     But  there  is  no  end  to  our  trou 
bles. 

THIRD        Like  the  rope. 
FIRST         And  the  middle  of  it  all  is  life. 
SECOND    And  so  we  live  by  thieving. 
THIRD        And  so  may  he. 
FIRST         But  his  bundle  is  never  bigger. 
SECOND     It  is  small,  but  never  smaller. 
THIRD        Then  the  treasure  must  be  big 

because  the  bundle  is  small. 
FIRST         But  he  never  speaks. 
'SECOND     It  is  only  when  a  thing  is  too 

big  or  too  small  that  we  never 

speak  about  it. 
THIRD        But  we  see  it. 
FIRST         Not  if  it  is  too  small. 
SECOND     Or  too  big! 

63 


THREE    ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

THIRD  And  if  things  are  neither  big,  or 
small,  but  medium,  then  we 
must  see  them. 

FIRST  We  see  nothing!  We  see  over 
them,  under  them,  round  them 
and  through  them,  but  not  in 
them. 

SECOND     Shall  we  never  see  in  his  bundle? 
THIRD        No! 
FIRST         No? 
SECOND     No? 

THIRD        No;  because  first,  we  must  open 

his  bundle  to  see  inside  it,  and 

once  it  is  opened  it  ceases  to  be 

a  bundle. 

FIRST         As  a  man  once  dead  ceases  to 

be  a  man. 

SECOND     And  becomes  a  reproach. 
THIRD        Yes;  a  reproach  to  Nature. 
FIRST         Should   we  then   reproach   our 
selves  for  killing  him? 
SECOND     No ;  we  might  reproach  ourselves 

for  not  killing  him. 
THIRD        For  not  killing  him  sooner. 
FIRST         Or  later! 

64 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BUNDLE 


SECOND 

THIRD 

FIRST 

SECOND 
THIRD 

FIRST 
SECOND 
THIRD 
FIRST 

SECOND 

THIRD 

FIRST 

SECOND 

THIRD 

FIRST 

SECOND 

THIRD 

FIRST 


Or  for  not  letting  him  kill  us. 
Perhaps  he  would  not  want  to. 
He  would  if  we  had  the  bundle, 
and  he  had  it  not. 
But  then  we  should  not  want  to 
kill  him. 

Then  he  should  give  us  the  bun 
dle. 

He  will  do  so,  for  we  will  take  it. 
When  he  is  dead. 
We  give  him  Death  in  excahnge. 
What  a  Vast  thing  to  give  for 
so  little. 

We  should  have  killed  him  be 
fore  this. 

No;  if  we  should  we  would. 
And  then  we  could. 
But  we  could  not! 
And  why  could  we  not? 
Because  he  never  spoke. 
Then  he  is  very  wise. 
For  only  the  wise  keep  silence. 
Even  the  wise  cannot  keep  si 
lence  when  there  is  no  silence 
to  keep. 


65 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

SECOND     Then  they  join  in  the  din. 

THIRD        And  make  it  less. 

FIRST         Because  the  voice  of  the  wise 

quietens  the  tongue  of  the  fool 
ish. 
SECOND     Then  foolish  tongues  must  make 

make  for  wisdom. 
THIRD        Yes;  everything  foolish  arrives 

at  where  it  never  set  out  for. 
FIRST         Then  the  foolish  are  wise? 
SECOND     Yes;  for  then  they  cease  to  be 

fools. 

THIRD        But  we  are  fools. 
FIRST         Yes;  fools  not  to  kill  him! 
SECOND     No;  fools  for  letting  him  live! 
THIRD      The  same  thing! 
FIRST         Not  the  same  thing.     I  let  my 

father  live    but  not  because  I 

do  not  kill  him. 

SECOND     Can  we  be  overheard. 
THIRD        Yes;  by  our  audience. 
FIRST         Then  they  will  not  like  us. 
SECOND     Then  we  shall  not  like  them. 
THIRD        But  we  have  to  speak  this. 
FIRST        And  they  have  to  listen. 

66 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BUNDLE 

SECOND     They  may  leave  us. 

THIRD        We  may  leave  them. 

FIRST         Then  there  will  be  no  play. 

SECOND     There  will  still  be  a  play. 

THIRD        But  they  will  not  hear  it. 

FIRST         Then  they  will  be  glad. 

SECOND     Yes,  glad;  because  it  is  rot  nice 
to  hear  what  you  do  not  like! 

THIRD        But  if  they  like  it? 

FIRST         Then  they  will  be  glad. 

SECOND     So  shall  we. 

THIRD        So  stay,  or  go,  we  make  them 

glad. 

FIRST         Shall  we  stay  or  go? 
SECOND     Let  us  do  both. 
THIRD        How  can  we? 
FIRST         Stay  now  and  go  when  we  finish. 
SECOND     But  we  cannot  finish   until  we 

kill  our  man. 

THIRD        He  is  not  our  man. 
FIRST         The  man  with  the  bundle. 
SECOND     The  man  with  our  bundle. 
THIRD        Then  we  must  get  it. 
SECOND     (Listening).     He  is  here. 
THIRD        He  is  not,  but  will  be. 

67 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 


FIRST         He  will  not  be  here  soon,  but  his 
body  will.     (Draws  a  dagger). 
(The    three    stand    up    simultaneously 
drawing  daggers). 

FIRST         Let  us  enter  when  he  is  asleep. 

(They  exit  at  right.  A  tapping  is  heard 
and  door  at  top  of  steps  opens.  The  Man 
With  the  Bundle  enters.  Tartar  awakens 
and  runs  to  door  at  right,  listens  and  runs 
back  to  staircase.  The  man  with  the  bun 
dle  on  his  back  comes  down  stem  very 
slowly). 

A  good  night! 

The  night  is  not  good.  No  night 
is  good.  Night  is  bad,  a  bad 
substitute  for  day.  That's  why 
we  sleep  at  night. 

TARTAR    (With     admonition).      Do     not 
sleep  tonight. 

Then  must  I  sleep  in  the  day. 

No,  you  will  sleep  night  and  day 

forever ! 

Fool,  there  is  no  forever. 

There  is  "ever." 

Yes  ever  and  ever,  and  ever,  and 

ever. 


TARTAR 

MAN 


MAN 
TARTAR 

MAN 
TARTAR 

MAN 


68 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BUNDLE 

TARTAR    And  ever? 

MAN  Yes ;  that  is  why  you  have  to  add 

and  ever.  So  you  see  there  is 
no  eternity,  for  when  you  add 
one  ''and  ever"  you  have  to  add 
another  "and  ever"  It  does  not 
matter  how  many  "and  evers" 
you  add,  you  are  still  just  as  far 
away  from  eternity  as  you  were 
in  the  beginning.  (As  he  enun 
ciates  each  phrase  he  takes  one 
step  down.  He  is  now  on  the 
bottom  step). 

TARTAR    Do  you  want  to  live? 

MAN  Here  is  a  coin.    Buy  food.    You 

live  to  want. 

TARTAR  You  speak  better  wisdom  than 
they  did.  (Points  to  door  at 
right;  jingling  coins).  Your 
wisdom  is  more  objective,  and 
you  have  made  me  your  de 
pendent. 

MAN  (Coming  down  last  step).     No; 

I  have  made  you  independent. 

TARTAR    And  yet,  I  will  warn  you. 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

MAN  You    cannot.     I    know    already. 

(Indicating     door     left).     They 
want  my  bundle? 

TARTAR    (Nods  several  times). 

MAN  If    they    want    it   long    enough 

they  will  get  it. 

TARTAR    (Trembling).     I'm  afraid. 

MAN  So  am  I.    I  am  more  afraid  than 

you  because  I  do  not  show  it. 

TARTAR    I'm  going. 

MAN  I  shall  stay. 

TARTAR  (Begging  him  on  knees).  No, 
go — if  you  are  afraid — Master. 

MAN  I  never  run  away  when  I  am 

afraid.  That  is  the  only  time 
when  one  should  stay.  Besides 
it's  so  simple. 

TARTAR  (Trembling).  Oh  I'm  afraid — 
so  afraid! 

MAN  Of  them? 

TARTAR  (Getting  up  and  backing  away 
from  him  in  a  circle  as  the  man 
turns).  No!  No!  of  you — of 
you  (his  back  is  now  against 
stairs.  He  runs  up  the  stairs 

70 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BUNDLE 

backwards  with  distended  eyes, 
and  hands  held  out  like  claws). 
— of  you !  you !  you !  you !  you  I 
you! 

(The  door  at  top  gives  to  his  weight  and 
he  disappears  in  the  blackness  as  it  closes 
with  a  metalic  clang.  Instantly  the  door  at 
right  opens  and  three  heads  appear  one- 
two-three,  one  above  the  other,  and  then  dis 
appear  in  rapid  succession,  one  after  the 
other.  Another  metallic  clang.  The  man 
lifts  his  bundle  off  his  back  and  uses  it  as 
a  pillow,  places  the  rush  light  at  his  feet 
and  sleeps.  The  door  at  right  opens  slowly. 
The  first  robber  creeps  out  with  shoulders 
hunched.  The  second  crawls  out  on  his 
knees.  The  third  on  his  all  fours.  The  door 
clangs  metallically.  They  all  fall  flat  on 
their  faces.  The  sleeper  wakes,  and  after  a 
pause,  settles  to  sleep  again.  The  first  one 
gradually  rises  to  his  feet  from  the  ankles 
up  without  touching  the  floor  with  his  hands 
— like  a  cobra.  The  second  does  the  same, 
but  in  a  kneeling  position.  The  third  rises 
also  but  keeps  his  hands  on  the  floor.  They 
now  speak  in  rapid  succession,  toning  their 
speech  in  three  keep  like  part  singers,  but 
subdued). 

71 


THREE    ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

FIRST         You  heard  the  Tartar  tell. 

SECOND     And  he  is  not  afraid. 

THIRD        He  sleeps  on  his  bundle. 

FIRST         We  must  go  away — 

SECOND     As  if  we  leave  for  the  night. 

THIRD        But  return  like  new  guests. 

FIRST         Striking  on  the  door. 

SECOND     And  when  he  opens  it — 

THIRD  Strike!  (At  the  word  strike,  all 
rise  and  turn  as  one  to  left,  and 
march  upstairs.  As  they  go  up 
stairs, — loudly — ) 

FIRST         A  bundle  of  rags  is  no  good. 

SECOND     Only  as  a  pillow. 

THIRD        And    we    have    frightened    him 
enough.    (All  laugh).    E-E-E-E- 
E-E-E-E-E-E ! 
(Three  clangs  on  the  door.     Outside  E- 

E-E-E-E-E  diminishes   and  the  night   owl 

hoots). 

MAN  (Raising   his   head).     Only  the 

wise  laugh,  and  only  the  wise 
never  laugh  in  the  wrong  place. 
(He  settles  to  sleep  again). 

(There   comes   a   timid   tapping   at   the 
door.    Then   a  rapping.     Then   three   loud 

72 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BUNDLE 

knocks.  Then  a  Yit-Kim  player  is  heard, 
the  music  pulsing  and  soaring  upwards. 
The  man  rises,  takes  the  long  rush-light, 
and  mounts  the  stairs.  The  rush-light  is  in 
his  right  hand,  and  his  left  is  extended  like 
a  wire-walker's.  He  takes  step  by  step, 
what  time  the  music  sobs  and  soars,  and  the 
owl  hoots.  When  he  reaches  the  top  the 
door  is  snatched  open  and  the  three  robbers 
are  revealed,  two  with  long  knives  raised, 
the  third  at  back  with  Yit-Kim  playing. 
The  knives  flash,  the  music  throbs,  the  Owl 
hoots.  The  man  throws  up  his  arms  and 
the  rush  and  the  rush-light  with  its  porce 
lain  holder  crashes  to  floor,  breaks,  and 
plunges  the  whole  place  in  darkness,  and 
the  man's  body  falls  down  stairs,  and  the 
door  clangs  metallically  to.  The  body  then 
is  heard  thudding  down  the  stairs  in  dark 
ness.  The  Yit-Kim  plays  on.  First  robber 
heard  to  run  down  stairs — thud — thud — 
patter) . 

SECOND     (Thud-thud—patter). 
THIRD        (Thud-thud—patter).     With     a 
long  discord  on  his  Yit-Kim). 

(Dead  silence  for  a  minute,  then  the  flash 
of  a  light  as  First  and  Second  simultaneous 
ly  light  a  rush-light  apiece. 

The  body  of  man  is  lying  center,  right 
to  left. 

73 


THREE    ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

First   stands  at   head,   Second  at  foot. 
Third  stands  on  bottom  step  with  Yit-Kim. 
Bundle  is  doivn  front  of  body. 
First  and  Second  robbers  have   knives 

raised). 

FIRST         Very  quick,  open  the  bundle! 

SECOND    Yes. 

THIRD  (Steps  over  corpse,  laying  Yit- 
Kim  on  body  and  opens  bundle; 
the  other  two  stand  close  on 
either  side). 

(First  and  Second  about  to  cut 
knot  with  their  knives). 

THIRD     No!      (He    unties    knot   and    the 

THE  contents  fall  out). 

THREE       Books,  only  books! 

(The  Yit-Kim  plays  mockingly,  accom 
panied  by  a  hollow  laugh. 

The  Third  falls  forward  on  his  face. 
First  and  Second  fall  back  on  floor,  reveal 
ing  the  corpse  sitting  up  playing  and  laugh 
ing  mockingly). 

You  think  that  is  all. 

FIRST  A  God— 

SECOND  A  Spirit— 

and 

THIRD  A  Wise  Man. 

74 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BUNDLE 

MAN  A  ,student  and  philosopher. 

FIRST         A  philosopher  and  a  brave  one. 

MAN  And  a   coward!    Look  at  your 

knives  and  see  how  twisted  the 
points  are!  (Moves  his  rags 
aside).  A  steel  shirt  that  came 
from  Damascus.  The  links  are 
fine  as  silk." 

SECONDj    And  you  said  a  philosopher! 

MAN  So  I  am,  but  my  philoosphy  is 

concretely  objective  and  objec 
tively  concrete.  (Strikes  his 
mail  shirt). 

THIRD        And  only  books.     (Turning  over 
volumes). 

MAN  Look  at  the  wrapper.     (They  do 

so,  spreading  it  out).  Now  turn 
it.  (They  do  so,  wonderingly. 
Cries  come  from  them  it  is 
tissue  gold). 

FIRST        What! 

SECOND    What  is  it? 

THIRD       What  is  it  made  of? 

MAN  The  golden  tissue  of  my  dreams ! 

(He  tears  the  rags  off, — reveal 
ing  his  mail  shirt  which  gleams 

75 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

like  silver). 

The  silver  thread  of  my  philos 
ophy. 

(Holds  out  his  arms  and  the  robbers,  as 
if  in  a  trance,  put  the  robe  on  him). 

The  Second  hands  his  taper  to  the  First 
and  picks  up  the  Yit-Kim,  which  has  a  long 
scarlet  ribbon  on  it. 

The  Third  picks  up  the  books,  largest 
at  bottom  and  smallest  on  top. 

The  man  turns  to  walk  upstairs,  fol 
lowed  by  the  robbers  with  two  tapers — next 
the  Yit-Kim  player,  and  finally  the  Third 
with  books.  They  speak  as  they  ascend  step 
by  step). 

MAN  Come,  filch  not  money  from  men, 

but  steal  wisdom  from  secret 
tombs  and  from  the  hearts  of 
the  living.  (His  gold  robe  trails 
on  the  steps.  Yit-Kim  plays 
very  softly.  At  the  top  of  steps 
the  man  pushes  open  the  door. 
Rosy  dawn  is  in  the  sky). 
MAN  Who  shall  say  the  night  has 

ended  and  the  day  begins! 


THE 
THREE 


Oh  say  it,  Master!     (He  turns 
on  the  top  stair.    The  sky  gets 


76 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BUNDLE 

brighter  and  birds  sing). 
MAN  Dawn  awaits  round  the  shoulder 

of  the  world — waiting — 

(The  three  breathlessly). 
MAN  Waiting  for  mankind  to  beckon 

it,  if  they  have  the  courage! 
(The  scene  fades  out  in  a  rosy  mist). 


Epilogue 


(When  the  light  gets  brighter  the  cur 
tain  is   down   and   the   two   prologues   are 
asleep  right  and  left.    They  yawn  and  wake). 
FIRST         Is  the  audience  still  here? 
SECOND     Yes;  they  have  more   patience 

than  we  have. 

FIRST         I  slept  through  it  all. 
SECOND     So  did  I.     I'm  so  tired.     Oh! 
(Yawns).     Too  tired  to  renew 
our  quarrel. 
FIRST         Yes;  if  you  call  it  a  (yawns)  a 

quarrel. 

SECOND  I  woke  up  towards  the  end  and 
heard  something  about  "man 
kind  beckoning  the  dawn." 

77 


THREE     ORIENTAL    PLAYS 

FIRST  Who  is  going  to  rise  on  the  cold 
dark  morning  to  "beckon  the 
dawn."  When  you  have  to 
work  you  must  get  your  full 
night's  rest.  Work  takes  all 
your  time.  It  leaves  you  no 
leisure  to  "beckon  the  dawn," 
as  the  author  calls  it.  Fine  sort 
of  author.  Got  more  time  than 
money. 
SECOND  Perhaps  he  likes  play  better 

work. 
FIRST         Who  doesn't!    What's  that? 

(Points  to  floor). 
SECOND     Looks  like  the  leaf  out  of  a  book. 

See,  it  has  gilt  edges. 
FIRST  Let's  read  it.  It  will  do  as  an 
epilogue  and  help  the  audience 
to  understand  the  play,  which  is 
more  than  I  do.  (Picks  up  leaf. 
Yawns.  They  both  yawn.  He 
reads:)  "He  who  can  wear  rags 
with  comfort  can  wear  fine 
clothes  with  distinction ;  and  he 
who  can  wear  fine  clothes  with 

78 


THE  MAN  WITH  THE  BUNDLE 

comfort,  can  wear  rags  with  dis 
tinction."  (Tears  up  leaf  and 
yawns). 

FIRST         That  leaves  us  as  far  off  as  ever. 

SECOND  Let's  see  if  the  stage  manager 
will  let  us  have  a  few  coins  to 
buy  rice. 

FIRST         Or  opium! 

SECOND  Both— both.  (They  ignore  au 
dience  and  stroll  off  arm  in  arm) . 

FINIS 


79 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY, 
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